3. Pilots and Flight Engineers

US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Pay: $98,410 per year (no hourly data available)

Pilots? But isn’t flying safe? The answer: yes and no. Commercial pilots virtually never die on the job: A transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to New York is one of the safest journeys you can take. However, pilots fly all sorts of aircraft, from prop planes to helicopters, while performing a variety of tasks, including firefighting and search and rescue. The silver lining? Pilots make more money than any other dangerous job, with a median salary of $98k.